The Royal Ballet’s sparkling production of “Jewels” is a love letter to ballet, told through the shimmering beauty that is ‘Emeralds,’ ‘Rubies’ and ‘Diamonds’.
Inspired by the beauty of the gemstones twinkling in the shop window of jewelers Van Cleef & Arpels in New York, American choreographer George Balanchine went on to make history with “Jewels” as the first three-act abstract ballet. First performed in full by The Royal Ballet in 2007, each of the three movements represents a unique stage in the development of classical ballet with a different stone for its inspiration and a different composer for the music.
In ‘Emeralds,’ the French Romantic music of Fauré provides the impetus for the act’s lyricism. The fire of ‘Rubies’ comes from Stravinsky and the jazz-age energy of New York. Grandeur and elegance complete the ballet in ‘Diamonds’, with Tchaikovsky and the splendor of Imperial Russia. Each act salutes a different era in classical ballet’s history as well as a distinct period in Balanchine’s own life. Through it all, Balanchine displays his genius for combining music with visionary choreography.
Jewels features a stunning cast from The Royal Ballet to showcase the varying styles found in each act including Principal dancers: Laura Morera, Ryiochi Hirano, Sarah Lamb, Steven McRae, Marienela Nuñez and Thiago Soares, and First Soloists: Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Valeri Hristov and Melissa Hamilton.
A highlight within George Balanchine’s immense career, “Jewels” will dazzle audiences.